In search of lost times: reimagining mixed reality for an ancient site
In search of lost times: reimagining mixed reality for an ancient site
Mixed Reality games offer new ways to experience cultural heritage spaces, yet their contemporary aesthetics can conflict with the spirit of place of ancient sites. These tensions often limit their deployment in places that might most benefit from the creative reimagining and engagement they afford. Working with the National Trust, we have designed and deployed a mixed reality smartphone game at the Avebury World Heritage Site in Wiltshire, UK; a Neolithic landscape that contains the world’s largest prehistoric stone circle. Drawing on an approach we call Polyholomorphism (many whole forms), we bring the player and their device into the experience as creative agents, transforming through different eras of time during the journey. This design invites reflection on technology’s changing relationship with place, fostering a sense of belonging to a continuing history. In doing so, it demonstrates how creative design can bridge temporal divides and contribute to more empathetic and transformative encounters with cultural heritage.
Mixed Reality, Locative Games, Cultural Heritage, Game Design, location-based games, polyholomorphism
Rimington, Bob
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Malinov, Yoan-Daniel
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Millard, David
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Jones, Joey
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Jordan, James
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Baker, Emily-Rose
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Blount, Tom
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Rimington, Bob
49dec6ce-25d1-4268-b597-0c14b1d88e4a
Malinov, Yoan-Daniel
0210567e-9be8-4aca-96c2-c1543a952ea9
Millard, David
4f19bca5-80dc-4533-a101-89a5a0e3b372
Jones, Joey
016c1758-3c63-4a4a-908e-7663e4801d5d
Jordan, James
b4bf9915-44c8-45da-823b-7f2627f33e55
Baker, Emily-Rose
7dabf2cb-a929-4c7e-b6da-6471b9da4bbf
Blount, Tom
4d4db315-08d9-4701-9604-1e99c60879fb
Rimington, Bob, Malinov, Yoan-Daniel, Millard, David, Jones, Joey, Jordan, James, Baker, Emily-Rose, Blount, Tom and Jones, Joey Donald
(2026)
In search of lost times: reimagining mixed reality for an ancient site.
ACM Creativity and Cognition 2026, University of the Arts, London, London, United Kingdom.
13 - 16 Jul 2026.
14 pp
.
(In Press)
(doi:10.1145/3803784.3809283).
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
Mixed Reality games offer new ways to experience cultural heritage spaces, yet their contemporary aesthetics can conflict with the spirit of place of ancient sites. These tensions often limit their deployment in places that might most benefit from the creative reimagining and engagement they afford. Working with the National Trust, we have designed and deployed a mixed reality smartphone game at the Avebury World Heritage Site in Wiltshire, UK; a Neolithic landscape that contains the world’s largest prehistoric stone circle. Drawing on an approach we call Polyholomorphism (many whole forms), we bring the player and their device into the experience as creative agents, transforming through different eras of time during the journey. This design invites reflection on technology’s changing relationship with place, fostering a sense of belonging to a continuing history. In doing so, it demonstrates how creative design can bridge temporal divides and contribute to more empathetic and transformative encounters with cultural heritage.
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 13 July 2026
Venue - Dates:
ACM Creativity and Cognition 2026, University of the Arts, London, London, United Kingdom, 2026-07-13 - 2026-07-16
Keywords:
Mixed Reality, Locative Games, Cultural Heritage, Game Design, location-based games, polyholomorphism
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 512261
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/512261
PURE UUID: 4de00605-0d1d-4050-811a-d5a1534d5dca
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 23 Jun 2026 16:36
Last modified: 16 Jul 2026 01:36
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